Final answer:
Anthropologists, particularly bioarchaeologists and medical anthropologists like Margaret Lock, study how culture shapes biological aspects, such as bone structures, by taking into account the cultural, environmental, and social factors that influence human physical development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists delve into how culture can shape biologically perceived notions by examining historical and present-day influences on the human body. One such scholar is bioarchaeologist, who explores the connection between cultural practices and biological outcomes by studying human remains. Particularly, bioarchaeology is the interdisciplinary domain where this analysis occurs, drawing upon both the cultural context and material evidence, such as bones, to deduce how societal factors shape biological traits.
An essential concept in this field is 'local biologies', developed by medical anthropologist Margaret Lock. This notion suggests that the biology of human populations can differ locally due to cultural, environmental, and socially constructed factors. Thus, something as intrinsic as bone structure can reflect a history of cultural adaptations, such as diet, social stratification, and even religious beliefs, which in turn can influence biological development over generations.
Other significant contributions include theories from scholars such as S. Boyden, who acknowledged culture as a force in shaping human biology. Moreover, through the study of environmental forces, anthropologists highlight how factors like climate, geography, and natural disasters have historically shaped not just societal structure but also human biology itself, facilitating new biological and cultural adaptations.